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Chapter 18: No one bothers me So, who would have thought my livestream yesterday would gain so much attention? When I walked into class this morning, the air buzzed with chatter—and not the usual kind. Everyone was talking about my stream. "Did you watch Harucchi’s stream yesterday?" "Of course! And he said he’d play with newbies!" "I already added him! I hope he picks me for a match." I sank into my seat, trying to act normal, but inside, I felt a strange mix of pride and embarrassment. This sudden popularity was nice, but it also felt a bit overwhelming. "Back at livestreaming again?" Shino asked, plopping into the seat next to me with her usual smirk. "Yeah. I needed to earn some money." "Why, though? You’ve got a rich aunt and a working girlfriend. You could just mooch off them." "I’m not that kind of guy, Shino! And Shiori-san isn’t my girlfriend." Mom also said the same thing. They really have the same kind of mind sometimes. Shino snickered. "Sure, sure. Whatever you say, Haru." I sighed and let my eyes wander around the classroom. My classmates were still chattering about the stream, but something else was bugging me. The whole rumor about me and Aunt Marika from the parent orientation—why had that suddenly gone quiet? It’s not like I want them to bother me though. "Hey, Shino, how come no one’s pestering me about that thing with Aunt Marika anymore? Did they just forget?" "Oh, about that..." She leaned in on her seat. "That all happened yesterday. A bunch of students from other classes came to find you, apparently because they’re fans of your aunt. Our class turned into a circus until your lady Shiori-sensei stepped in." "What did she do?" I asked, curious but also slightly worried. "She basically threatened to report anyone who kept bothering you. Said you weren’t here because you wanted to avoid the chaos. Then she clarified that Marika’s your aunt, not your girlfriend. Pretty sure she scared everyone off." Hearing that, I couldn’t help but smile a little. Shiori-san really does go all out for me. But then again, she’s... well, Shiori-san. "You’re lucky, Haru. You’ve got a gorgeous teacher who cares about you so much," Shino teased. "And you still deny she’s your girlfriend?" "She’s not my girlfriend. Yet." Shino’s eyes lit up. "Yet? Oh? Do tell." "I’m going to confess to her on Christmas Eve," I said, lowering my voice so no one else could hear. "I’ll ask her out the night before Christmas and tell her how I feel." Shino shrugged, clearly amused. "Well, don’t come crying to me if she rejects you." "She won’t," I muttered, more to myself than to her. There’s no way she’d reject me. Right? The first period began, and Shiori-san entered the room. As always, her presence commanded attention, and the class immediately settled down. I listened intently to her lecture, not because I was particularly interested in the subject, but because... well, it’s Shiori-san. Missing even a second of her time would be a waste. The morning passed quickly, and soon it was lunchtime. As I unwrapped my bento, my phone vibrated. It was a message from Shiori-san. "Haru! I want to sleep at your house again! Tomorrow is the weekend, right?" What’s this? Another sleepover? Not that I’m complaining. "Okay, Shiori-san. I’ll wait for you at the park after school." Her reply came almost instantly. "No, no, you can go ahead. I’ll buy some stuff at the convenience store first." She’s probably stocking up on food for the weekend again. "Alright. I’ll tell Mom to prepare extra for dinner." "Thanks, Haru! I’ll also buy ice cream for dessert." I smiled to myself. Shiori-san’s enthusiasm for these little things never fails to amuse me. But I couldn’t shake the nagging thought in the back of my mind: how would she react when I told her about my livestreaming? Would she be okay with me playing with strangers for the sake of content? I could only hope. After I ate my lunch, Shino dragged me to the table tennis club. "C’mon, Haru, just join already. You’re good at this." "Nah, I’m fine just tagging along occasionally." We played a couple of matches, with me winning most of them—much to Shino’s frustration. It was a nice distraction from my worries about the upcoming confession and the whole livestream situation. --- Meanwhile, in another part of the school, Someone’s POV: I’m finally back at school after being out sick. My cold’s mostly gone, but I still feel a bit groggy. Last night didn’t help—I stayed up way too late playing that game, *SFO*. It’s ridiculously addictive. As I made my way to the cafeteria, I overheard a familiar voice. "Shino, don’t tell me you’re still trying to get me to join the table tennis club." "Haru, you’re good at it! Seriously, why not?" Haru? Haruki Mishizaki? Isn’t he the guy whose wallet I found a while back? What a coincidence. But wait... his voice... it sounds familiar. Could it be? No way. There’s no way Mishizaki-san is *that* guy. The one I watched livestreaming yesterday. The top-ranked assassin in *SFO*. If he were, he’d be way more popular at school, right? I already messaged Harucchi on his SFO account. I hope he will play with me. --- Back to Haru’s POV: By the time school ended, I felt both relieved and anxious. The day had gone smoothly, but now I had to face Shiori-san and tell her about my livestreaming. As I headed home, I couldn’t help but wonder how she’d take it. Would she be supportive? Or would she be upset that I’d been spending so much time online, playing with strangers? Only one way to find out. And if she didn’t approved, like I care right? I should learn to say no sometimes.